Joseph b



(No Model.)

J-. B. MAY., lMAIL BAG LOCK.

No. 602,764. Pa'tentedApr, 19,1898.

rin STATES i ATENT rrrcn.

JOSEPH B. MAY, OF LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-FOURTH TO GEORGE P. ROSS, OF SAME PLACE.

MAIL-BAG LOCK.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters 1 atent No. 602,764, dated April 19, 1898.

Application filed $eptember 25, 1897. Serial No. 653,041. (No model.) v

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH B. MAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lexington, in the county of Fayette and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Looks; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in locks, and more especially mail-bag locks.

It has for its object to greatly simplify the construction of the parts and to materially lessen the cost of manufacture; also, to facilitate the locking and unlocking of the same and to render them more efficient in their locking action.

To these ends the invention consists of a sectional locking-bar, with its sections suitably articulated, having a peculiarly-constructed hasp or clasp adapted to compass'or clasp one edge of the mail-bag simultaneously with the shooting or projecting of the bolts and to simultaneously retract the bolts with the unclasping action of the hasp; also, in the peculiarity of the construction and actuation of the bolts carried by said locking-bar, and

in certain minor details ofthe construction of the parts,all substantiallyas hereinafter more fully disclosed, and specifically pointed out by the claims.

In the embodiment of my invention I employ a sliding lockin g-bar actuated by and connected to a hasp or clasp pivoted to a suitable base piece or plate on the mail bag or pouch and adapted to compass or clasp the bag, and provide said locking-bar with pivoted bolts having normally-inclined forward or free ends sliding or guided in keepers to give said bolts an initial downward'movenent as they are projected through the locking-staples of the bag or pouch flap ancl to return them to their former position as they are retracted in effecting the unlocking operation.

In the accompanying drawings, illustratin g an improved way-one amon g otherswfor carrying out or practicing my invention, Figure l is a side view of the invention. Fig. 2 is a similar View thereof, showing the parts unlocked. Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken through a keeper, including other parts. Fig. 4 is a lon gitudinal or horizontal section through the same parts. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail View showing particularly the manner of securing the keepers for the locking-bar and its bolts upon the bag or pouch. Fig. 6 is a detailed perspective view of the locking devices at the edge of the bag or pouch opposite that engaged by the clasp or hasp. Fig. 7 is a detailed perspective view showing principally the hasp or clasp.

A refers to the sliding locking-bar,composed of laterally articulated or jointed sections, so made as to possess it of a degree of fiexibility in keeping with that of the bag or pouch. The locking-bar A is arranged to slide in keepers or castings B in the upper rectangular portions b thereof, fastened or secured to the leather a of the bag or pouch, and said locking-bar has also laterallyarticulated orj ointed to it a peculiarly-constructed hasp or clasp O. It will be seen that as the locking-bar A is slid or moved rearward as the hasp is released in opening the pouch or bag the keepers B, or rather their upper portions b, are adapted to house or cover the joints between the sections of said locking-bar, as seen in Fig. 2, and thus provide against the fiexure or infolding of the mouth of said bag or pouch when suspended with its mouth open in position for the ready reception of mail. The connection between said locking-bar and hasp or clasp is effected, preferably, by means of a link c,pivoted thereto at its euds,respectively, while the hasp or'clasp is itself pivoted or hinged at each side of said link to a baseplate O', riveted or bolted to the leather a, so as to permit it to be turned horizontally thereon in a circumscribed arch and without it the sliding of said locking-bar within certain limits. The hasp or clasp C is more than a right angle. It is two right angles, being three-sided, with one side elongated and having an oblong aperture therein to receive a staple (not shown) secured to the leather at one side of the bag mouth or opening and passing through an opening in the leather at the opposite side of said bag-mouth, as usual. The tip end of the hasp or clasp is preferably curved outward, as at 02, to permit it to readily ride upon the staple and bring the opening IOO of said hasp into alinenent with said staple, the staple then of course passing through said opening, said hasp or clasp being sprung, as it were, over the staple, as readily understood, when the usual padlock is applied. The three-sided hasp or clasp C, it will be seen, is thus adapted to embrace or clasp one edge of the mail bag or pouch at its mouth, insuring the secure holding of the parts together.

The locking-bar A may have at the opposite end to that having the hasp a lateral locking-arm A',provided with a pin ax, adapted to engage the aperture @XX in the short arm of a right-angled section or bracket Az, secured or riveted to the opposite side of the bag or pouch. It will therefore be seen that as the locking-bar is slid forward and its clasp or hasp caused to clasp its edge of the bag or pouch the locking-arm A' will be caused to simultaneously engage and interlock with the bracket or section Ag, and thus clasp or secure that edge of the bag or pouch also.

The locking-bar A has articulated or pivoted to it in its under side the short upper shank portions of bolts or dogs D D, one to each sectiomwhose lower extended forwardlyinclined portions 'D' are housed in the keepers or housings B, adaptedto receive said portions of said dogs or bolts. The extreme upper portion of said housings is beveled or inclined, as at b', to coperate with the upper correspondingly-inclined portions of the bolts or dogs D to give the latter an initial downward movement as the locking-bar is moved forward to readily effect the engagement of the bolts or dogs with the pouch-flap staples e, passing transversely through the keepers B, as seen, in effecting the locking operation.

The bottom portions of the keepers B are upwardly inclined, as at b2, to engage the lower inclined portions of the bolts D to throw them upward as the locking-bar A is moved rearward to cause them to lie close up to the latter, well out of the way, to prevent the liability of the bolts Jfearing or in juring the immediately adjacent portions of the bag or pouch.

As an incidental feature of my invention the bolts D may be laterally beveled, as at d', so that should they happen to partially stand in the line of the insertion of their staples by reason of more or less accidental forward movement of the locking or sliding bar A the staples contracting said beveled surfaces will readily push the bolts aside and pass through -the keepers ready for engagement with said bolts.;'also, as an expediency the plate E or washers provided for securing Ithe keepers B in place have the edges of the openings therein beveled at such an angle,

. as at f, as to bind against the inclined edges of the struck-up points or fastenings f' on the backs of the keepers B at a predetermined distance a distance equal to the intervening thickness of leather between said backing plates and keepers-to prevent embedding of the parts in the leather. It will be seen that the joints between the sections of the lockingbar are so arranged as to become housed in the keeper B when said locking-bar is moved rearward; also, the keepers B are preferably rabbeted, asat g, to form a rest and guard for the forward ends of the bolts.

The hasp or clasp C may have an inclosed or bordered portion, as at ex, to receive a card or slip containing the name of the city or post-office readily observable by the party handling the bag or pouch.

This invention, it Will be seen from the foregoing, is exceedingly simple and yet effective in its locking action, aswell as comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and quickly manipulated, locked, and unlocked.

It Will be understood that I do not limit myselfto the details of construction and arrangement of the part-s, as these may be varied without departing from the spirit or principles of my invention and the same remain intact.

- Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a mail-bag lock, the combination of the slidin g locking-bar carrying pivoted bolts or dogs having inclined lower portions, and keepers or housings arranged around the staple-receiving openings of the bag or pouch, and adapted to receive said lower portions of the bolts and to guide them into the staples, substantially as set forth.

2. In a mail-bag lock, the combination of the sliding locking-bar carrying pivoted bolts, having inclined lower portions and keepers or housings arranged around the staple-receiving openings of the bag or pouch and having upward inclined portions to engage the lower inclined portions of said bolts to elevate the forward ends of said bolts when said lockingbar is slid or moved rearward, substantially as set forth.

3. In a mail-bag lock, the combination of the sliding locking-bar carrying pivoted bolts having lower inclined portions, keepers or housings arranged around the staple-receiving openings of the bag or pouch, and adapted to receive said inclined portions of the bolts, and the clasp compassing the edge of the bag or pouch and hinged at one edge to the baseplate and having a link connection With said sliding bar, substantially as set forth.

4. In a mail-bag lock, the combination of the sliding locking-bar carrying pivoted bolts.

having lower inclined portions, keepers or housings arranged around the staple-receiving openings of the bag or pouch and adapted to receive said inclined portions of the bolts, the clasp or hasp pivoted at one edge to the base-plate and having a link connection With one end of said locking-bar, said bar having at its opposite end a lateral arm provided with a pin, and a right-angled plate applied to the bag or pouch and having an aperture to re- IIO ceive said lateral pin, substantially as specified.

5. In a mail-bag lock, the combination of the sectional locking-bar carrying bolts, the housings or keepers arranged around the staple-receiving openings of the bag and'adapted to receive said bolts, said housings or keepers also adapted to house the joints between the sections of said locking-bar when the latter is slid or moved rearward for the purpose set forth.

6. In a mail-bag lock, the combination of the locking-bar having pivoted bolts provided with lower inclined portions, the housings or keepers arranged around the staple-receiving openings of the bag and adapted to receive said inclined portions of the bolts, also hav- JOSEPH B. MAY.

Witnesses:

HENRY E. OooPER, J. WM. MISTER. 

